The One
by Mersea
Summary: What happens if Erika somehow manages to convince herself that Ludwig is the dearly beloved brother she has been searching for? Well, he's got himself a persistent stalker, for one. Based off anime and manga. LudwigxErika in the end. /Extended Hiatus/
1. First Impressions

**Disclaimer:** This is a fanfic, the usual disclaimer and any AU/OOC/Etc. applies.

I've always wanted Ludwig to have more scenes in the manga, so this is my personal adaptation to the story and to Erika's character. Don't get me wrong; I loved reading the manga, I just want to take the time to develop Erika because the manga artists didn't get the chance to.

To clarify things, this is a Meine Liebe fanfic with eventual Ludwig x Erika (I think) with _some_ adaptations taken from the manga and anime (I know most of you don't want to read a rewrite of _everything_ in the manga _but_ I will also make sure things make sense to newcomers). No, there's no need to know the manga or anime but this is just to explain why someone might seem a bit out of character.

Here is the list:

**Erika** – based on **manga** (the clumsy version)

**Ludwig **– based on **anime **(the dictator version)

**Naoji** – based on** anime **(the shyer version? So cute)

**Orpherus **– **combination** (for me he was too intense in manga and not intense enough in anime)

**Eduard** – based on **manga** (seemed more confident and playful in manga)

**Camus** – based on **manga** (bit more outgoing in manga)

**Marin**, **Wilhelmine** and **August **from the manga (changed their roles though)

**Nicholas**, **Daniel**, and** Elmunt** from the anime (but still debating about this)

**Timeline:** If you're curious, timeline is after second season of the ML anime.

* * *

**The One:** A Meine Liebe Fanfic

**Chapter One - "First Impressions"**

* * *

_They say life is an ongoing hallway of choices. For every good choice you make, new doors will present themselves. And for every bad choice, some doors will shut themselves on you forever. _

_But there are also people who believe that there are no good choices or bad choices; there is only the _right_ choice. _

_So whatever you choose to do, fear not what the results will be, and go at it with your whole being…my daughter._

* * *

She woke to the surface of her soft white pillow and to the song of birds outside her dormitory window.

Seventeen year old Erika Klause groggily lifted her head from her pillow with a bit of effort. "This is…"

That's right; it took a few seconds for her to recognize the recent change of environment.

"Oh right. I arrived last evening didn't I?" To Rosenstolz Academy. Where her long-awaited reunion with her brother awaited.

The blonde proceeded to slip out of bed, paused, and reached up to feel the dampness on her cheeks.

_Strange. Did I have a bad dream just now?_

She didn't get much chance to contemplate this, however, for the next thing she saw was the hands on her alarm clock on her bedside drawer.

"AH-…I'm-…I-…I SLEPT IN!"

* * *

Only when her ragged breathing slowed did she dare to push open one side of the ornate double door leading to the auditorium.

In the darkness of the assembly, the spotlights trained on the distant figure standing on the platform made him too bright to behold.

"Today," the large grandfather-like figure was saying, "To everyone who was able to enter this school, I congratulate you!"

_Ah…the headmaster? The entrance ceremony already started._

Creeping as quietly as possible, Erika glanced to both sides as she went down the steps, looking to see if there's a free seat somewhere she could squeeze in. Indeed, such was her anxiety that she hadn't been paying attention to what the headmaster was saying.

Needless to say that she was unpleasantly startled when, all of a sudden, shrill shrieks from either side caused her to loose her equilibrium.

Unfortunately, since it was dark and the steps weren't lighted, she wasn't able to regain her balance in time.

"WAHHHHHH!"

No, it had been much more prolonged than that, considering that she slid down a whole flight of stairs.

"T-that was embarrassing," Erika mumbled to herself after landing flat on her face at the very bottom of the steps.

"Are you possibly alright?"

The moment she looked up into those majestic blue eyes, she had forgotten all about her present situation.

The platinum blonde man bent down, one hand outstretched towards her. A gentle look of concern crossed his handsome features. "Can you stand, miss?"

"AH!" Erika suddenly remembered herself, bolting upright into a kneeling position. "I'm-I'm fine! This happens to me all the time; it's just a bucket in the drop!" she stammered.

A moment of silence.

_Bucket in the drop!? Ahhh I can't believe I said that!_

The handsome blonde straightened up, dropping his hand back to his side. Behind him, a caramel-skinned man burst out into laughter.

"Ed…" the black-haired man next to the laughing one trialed off hesitantly. He met her eyes briefly with a warm, sympathetic gaze but didn't hold her eyes.

"That's not very polite, Ed," a pretty boy with soft white hair and large red eyes chided, but in a friendly manner. The boy leaned down to her eye level with a worried look. "Are you hurt? That looked painful."

_S-so cute! H-he's even cuter than me!_

"Y-yes I'm fine!" Erika exclaimed hurriedly. "Absolut-"

Because she had lurched backwards to give herself space, the back of her head connected with something hard.

She got an ominous feeling even before she looked up into the glaring eyes of the demon king. "S-s-sorr-" she could not for the life of her manage to complete the word.

"You are in the way." A speaking glare accompanied his curt dismissal. "Pick up your things and leave."

"Y-yes." She gulped, feeling the gust of air on her face as the scary-looking man spun around, long hair and cape flowing with the abrupt motion. But suddenly she caught sight of something beneath the heel of his boot.

That's right, her bad had split open upon impact when she fell, and her things were lying scattered about.

_Oh no! My ribbon! He-!_

Without giving a second thought, Erika lunged at her most valued item with her hand.

Now, he wouldn't have lost his balance if she were just wringing his long, purple cloak. Nor would he have fallen if she were just pulling out the oversized ribbon from under his feet.

But it was an accident.

Not only that, but sometime during his fall his knee went into Naoji's side, and also involuntarily grasped at Orpheus' white cape which conveniently within reach. In turn, Orpherus took Camus down too, when the boy tried to steady him.

That only left Ed standing out of the five of them, laughing uncontrollably.

The headmaster took this opportunity to clear his throat, the microphone squeaking uncomfortably.

"Now that's over, I will introduce our Strahl Candidate class."

* * *

For possibly the first time in her life, she felt what it was like to be the center of attention among so many peers.

And also for the first time in her life, she felt what it was like to be begrudged and hated by her peers.

_Why did it turn out like this…?_

Letting out a sigh, Erika closed the lid of the thick hardcover book she had been reading. Literature. Now that's done, all that was left was the hard stuff for reviewing.

_Which I can't do in this heavy atmosphere with everyone glaring daggers into my back._

She sneaked a peek over her shoulder. Just a little peek.

Yep, the fellow academy students were still pissed off at her. That much did not change within the space of three hours.

Grimacing, Erika packed her bag quickly with the things she needed before making her escape from the main Rosenstolz Academy library.

It was only yesterday that she came to this school.

Only yesterday that she made her first and bad impression on the entire student body in front of the whole school during the orientation.

Only yesterday that she found out from the headmaster's welcoming speech that the first two weeks of school will be dedicated to something called a Strahl candidate exam; a recent addition to the curriculum which she had never been informed of. Something about a 'continuation of the reform from Headmaster Werner from last year'.

Right, all that was only yesterday and she felt like going home already.

_But…_

Cradling her load of study material with one arm, Erika searched inside her skirt pocket with her free hand and took it out.

The violet strip of ribbon lay soothingly in the palm of her hand. The mere sight of it alone brought back a flushed smile to her face.

_Brother and I both promised to enroll in this school. I will not give up!_

She closed her fingers around the ribbon with that resolve, noting in time that the notebook on the top of her stack was sliding off.

"Oh, no!"

The other students in the corridor were smart enough to ease out of her way as she swaggered from one side to the other in an attempt to salvage her pile of books. In the end, though, her shoulder collided with the low, outer wall of the open corridor and the topmost of the stack slid off third floor to the courtyard below.

A _thud_ and the scattering of pages were heard.

"L-Ludwig-sama!" came the alarmed cries from below.

Her forthcoming apologies halted on the tip of her tongue as she peered down sheepishly from third floor.

_Ludwig-sama? Isn't that the name of-…?_

His hair, navy blue, she saw it reach down almost past his knees. As she watched, the person reached up a gloved hand and snatched a floating sheet of paper – one of many that dislocated from her notebook – as it flew by his head. He wasn't facing her way, but judging from his hair and the royal purple cloak draped over his shoulders-

Immediately she was huddling down, back against the wall and clutching at her heart.

_Ahhh! How could this happen!_

Her eyes flew open in sudden realization.

_Wait a minute. That was-!_

"Eh? I don't know about the horns, but why do I get the feeling that this is supposed to be Ludwig-sama, you?"

_My…sketchbook…! _Erika covered her mouth with her free hand to prevent herself from any sudden outbursts that will expose her.

When she dared to sneak another look down below, the sight of his followers all staring up in her direction made the blood freeze in her veins.

"Erika Klause…" The man, Ludwig himself didn't pay her any heed, picking up her sketchbook from the ground and reading out the owner's name. "Such abominations. Throw them away," he ordered.

_W-whyyyy!_

* * *

In the end, she didn't have the guts to get her sketchbook back.

What he had said was true, anyway. She had no talent for art and even if she chose art as one of her exams, those pages would've probably gotten her a low grade.

Erika heaved another dejected sigh. "But now I have to come up with something else," she lamented to no one in particular.

Slowly at first, a lovely melody drifted into her conscience. Ah, so someone was practicing in the third floor music rooms. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here looking for a quiet place to study.

But now that she was there, the playing of the piano lured her.

She only meant to go a little closer, and maybe catch a glimpse of the musician, but she really didn't expect that the grand piano would be facing the open doorway.

His playing ended on a single, abrupt note as his green eyes glanced up and spotted her.

"Oh, I-I didn't mean to interrupt!" Erika said hurriedly explained, bowing frantically. "Please don't mind me! I'm going now!"

"Oy, wait!"

She cringed at his words, wondering if he, too, disliked her like everyone else.

He fairly jogged across the room to her, placing his hands on his hips. "So it _is _you! We met during the orientation, remember?" At that point he had bent down to lower himself closer to her eye level, for he was at least one head taller than she was. He winked, grinning good-naturedly as he introduced himself.

"I'm Eduard. Everyone calls me Ed, though."

She drew back, feeling her cheeks heat unexpectedly. "Y-yes I know." He was the caramel-skinned and auburn-haired man who was introduced by the headmaster as one of the Strahl candidates.

His expression switched to one of light curiosity, alarming her even further. "Something wrong? Isn't this where you introduce yourself?"

"Ah!" Erika gushed. "I am Erika, Erika Klause. H-how do you do!?" In the midst of that she had extended her hand for a handshake, and then upon recalling that it may not be appropriate to do so to a Strahl candidate, withdrew her hand and bent forward quickly in a bow instead.

Unfortunately, in her excitement she had forgotten how close he was to her and her head bumped against his chest instead.

_Err…_

And then he laughed, one arm across his stomach, as she quickly straightened up again.

"As I thought-" he claimed between breaths "-you are-…really funny."

"Ah…thanks…" Erika was frozen, and at a lost for words, to say the least. Her unease was dispelled when he gave her a simple pat on her head.

Ed gave a friendly grin. "Anyway, it's about time for my horseback riding exam. Want to come?"

"No! I mean-…I have a lot to review!" Erika quickly amended.

_Ah! Why did I have to blurt it out like that!? What if he hates me now!_

"Oh?" He looked a bit surprised at first, but that quickly transformed back into a good-natured sigh and smile. "Good to see you working hard. Maybe next time, then."

He unfolded his arms, tugging his hands into his uniform pockets. "Well, good luck on your exams," said with another wink. "Later, Erika."

Erika watched his retreating figure as he headed down the hall from her. Tentatively, she reached a hand up and touched the place on her hair where he had patted her, looking at her hand as if there was something to be seen there.

_Hmn…_

She broke into a happy smile.


	2. Second Impressions

**A/N: **I will give this story a plot…in case readers favor a plot… I just hope this seed of a plot doesn't develop into something too large for me to handle. Anyway… this "plot" thingy will show itself gradually.

* * *

**The One**

**Chapter Two – "Second Impressions"**

* * *

"I don't understand…why do girls have to take this exam, too?" Erika glanced outside to the courtyard as she moved down the hallway. It was her habit to talk to herself.

"And just when I thought I could relax after taking that entrance exam to get into this school." Another sigh. "It's not like girls can become Strahl candidates anyway."

Her short study session in the music room on third floor had been interrupted by music students who needed to practice for their exams.

There were many reading rooms in the Rosenstolz Academy but…she figured she'd have received the same welcome she did in the library earlier that morning.

_There must be some place quiet where I can study alone…_ Her gaze wandered out to the flower gardens next to the courtyard. _Hehe._

* * *

"Ah, this is perfect!" Erika exclaimed happily, settling down into the warm wooden bench of one of the inner gardens.

After a moment's contentment of basking in the sun, the blonde-haired girl flipped open the current book she was reviewing to the page her ribbon had bookmarked. She picked up the violet strip of ribbon dreamily.

It was about the width of three fingers, and long as two hand spans. The edges and sides were a bit worn from years of loving, but she valued it above any piece of jewelry in the world.

Because it was her only key to reuniting with her brother again.

The last time they saw each other had been so long ago that she couldn't even recall his face, name, or age, but he was still her most treasured person.

_He's somewhere in this academy. I will find him!_

"Ah-!" A droplet of rain had fallen onto her open page.

"Aw man…and it had been sunny just a moment ago!" Erika complained to herself, gathering up her things as she spoke.

It didn't even take that long before the sky started to shower.

"This-…isn't-…-my day!" Erika huffed, ducking into the first place of shelter she came across.

"H-hello? Sorry for the intrusion!" Silence greeted her ears. She looked around her, letting the glass door slide close behind her.

She had entered a greenhouse, a well-kempt one. The fresh fragrance of flowers mixed well with the scent of rain.

_Nobody's here…_

Erika stepped further in. It was breathtaking. Her family had always hired the best gardeners for their flowerbeds, but this had a different feeling to it.

The door clicked open behind her, startling her.

"Ah!" both she and the red-eyed boy said simultaneously. He was the one who was introduced by the headmaster yesterday as another of the Strahl candidates. The pretty boy with snow-white hair and eyes like red garnets.

"I-I'm sorry," Erika apologized, feeling that she had invaded some private space. "It just started raining and so I-…"

"That's alright," the boy named Camus reassured her with a small but sincere smile, "this place is always open to ones who have troubled hearts."

She had been so preoccupied with urging down her blush that she almost missed what he said.

_Troubled hearts…? Ehh…!?_

"But right now you should return to the dorms," the boy told her, expression melting into one of concern. "There is a strong thunderstorm coming."

"R-really!?" Erika shuddered. Indeed, she just noticed that the sky was dimmer than it should be for that time of day. It's not that she feared thunder or lightning but…usually those were accomplished by a blackout.

"T-then I'll be on my way!" she declared uneasily, edging to the door. She paused with her hand on the handle, however, looking back in realization.

"Senpai, you're not going back?" Erika asked in alarm.

Camus went over to the nearest cluster of flowers in his greenhouse, smiling tenderly at them. "Uhn," he made the sound of agreement and explained, "These children are afraid of the storms. I come to keep watch over them whenever they occur."

She must've been enchanted by what he said, for her hand dropped away from the door. "I-…"

Upon looking out from the glass, she saw that it had already begun to pour.

"I won't be able to study during a blackout anyway…"

Camus looked up as she offered a tentative smile. "Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

His red eyes widened slightly in surprise, and he was speechless for a moment. Then he shook his head and smiled back. "No, it would please me very much."

* * *

"So I see; this is your third year of being a Strahl candidate?" Erika asked, setting down her teacup carefully onto its plate.

"Uhn," he confirmed. "Although there have been a few changes made in the previous year."

"Then-!" She stood up quickly, placing her hands on the round garden table. "Do you know of anyone among the students who looks like me!?"

Camus blinked his red eyes in bewilderment. "Hah…?"

"Because-!" A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky at that moment, fearsomely near.

"C-Camus-sama?" Erika gasped as his chair clattered and rolled aside from his pale visage.

He was on one knee, clutching at his chest laboriously when she reached his side.

"Camus-sama! What's wrong!? I'll go get som-" She halted as she felt him touch her hand gently.

"It's okay. It'll pass in a bit." It looked like he was struggling to look reassuring to her. "Don't worry; this is just a side effect from the exams going on."

She wasn't sure if she believed him, but the touch which stayed on the back of her hand made her stay. He seemed to let out a sigh of relief seeing that she wasn't about to go anywhere in the storm. Then he collapsed to the ground.

"Ah! Camus-sama…!"

_Oh, no! What should I do? _Erika leaned over and shook his shoulder gently. It seemed that he was breathing fine, but a troubled expression marred his face.

_He said he'd be fine, didn't he? In this case, I better not just leave him here…just in case…_

'_Besides, I'm too weak to carry him anywhere,' _she thought dejectedly.

"Hang on…Camus-sama…" Erika whispered, grasping one of his hands. His skin felt cool.

_Ah…_

Erika set her jaw determinedly, reaching out to heave the unconscious figure into her arms. She had been surprised to learn from him earlier that he was older than her by two years. He seemed like a cute boy her age.

She remembered…

_Because I was afraid of the dark, this was how Brother and I would get by during each thunderstorm. Yeah…_

She closed her eyes, settling back into a more comfortable position against the curved base of the table.

_Surely this calming feeling will reach Camus-sama through me._

* * *

"As I thought…this is where you were, Camus."

She blinked her green eyes open at the voice.

_Huh? Eh? Ehh?_

After jolting up and banging her head against the underside of the table above her, she seemed to have woken up.

"A-are you alright?" Camus' gentle voice filtered through the pulsating pain she now felt on the back of her head. He was kneeling before her scrunched up knees, one hand reaching towards her hesitantly.

_I-I can't believe it! I fell asleep!?_

"Pray tell me, what is that _thing_ doing under the table?"

That was the voice which woke her up. That was the voice of-

Erika awkwardly cranked her neck to glance at him.

Water dripped off the tall man's cross-armed form as a flash of lightning illuminated his scowling face for a fraction of a second.

Even if she meant to scream at that point, no sound would come out.

It was Ludwig.

"Don't be like that, Lui." Camus gave a tentative laugh. "It was because she was with me that I felt comforted, ne? Miss…" His red eyes seemed to be searching for something from hers.

Oh right, her name.

"Oh, I'm E-"

'_My name!' _Erika thought in horror, remembering the incident with Ludwig that morning.

"E-E-Elaine!" she stuttered out. "S-said like that."

"I-is something wrong?" Erika asked nervously when a strange look stole over the boy's face. She wondered if she had named herself someone he knew.

"No…it's nothing." Camus let out a kind smile. She let him help her up to her feet.

The white-haired boy turned to Ludwig. "Lui, I'm glad you came for me, but would you help Miss E-E-Elaine back to her dorm instead? They'll be worried if they find her missing."

A frown furrowed the tall man's brow, but Erika spoke first.

"No-no! There's no need!" she said hurriedly. "I can make my way back on my own!"

She had been backing towards the exit all this time, but it was only until she turned around did she see that it had really become a downpour.

As she was worrying over this, the door heaved open with a great sigh. She would've been blown into a fall if not for the person catching her by her arm in time.

"Ah, you are-…" he said, dark amber eyes widening in recognition. Rain trickled down his long, black bangs, plastering strands onto his face. He straightened, still gripping onto her arm, staring directly across the greenhouse at Ludwig, who was leaning cross-armed against an elevated garden plot.

"Lui…" It was a tone of wonderment, and then… "I do not approve of bullying," he said seriously.

_Huh?_ Erika felt just a tad dizzy. _Ack! No! He's misunderstanding! _

_But on the other hand, it meant that Ludwig really did hate her!_

"…Considering you came into the storm right after me, I am forced to conclude that there are serious flaws in your cognition." Ludwig's half-lidded eyes closed in a slow blink. "But…now that you are here, Naoji, why don't you escort the girl back to her dorm?"

"Ah…Hai," Naoji answered. He gazed down at the girl beside him. "We should get going, the storm might get worse," he explained soothingly, as if not to frighten her.

"M-my things…" Erika remembered suddenly. He followed her gaze to the pile of books and her schoolbag heaped in a corner of the greenhouse. He hesitated, but extended an arm to her and told her, "The storm is too strong. Tomorrow-"

"But I can't-!" she protested, attempting to get past him.

Her ribbon was inside her bag!

Naoji laid a hand on her shoulder from the back, stopping her before she got away. He let out a tiny, resigned sigh and gave her a comforting smile when she glanced back at him.

"I will bring them to you as soon as the storm calms," he told her. "I promise."

Time seemed to have stood still like that. He had, with perfect posture and a charming countenance, one hand on her shoulder, made a promise for a trifling thing like that to a stranger.

Erika felt her heart pound unevenly in her chest. "T-thank you."

Naoji smiled in reply and wrapped one protective arm around her shoulders. "…We'll be off, then," he informed the other two in the greenhouse before heading out.

"What a noisy girl," was the first thing Ludwig said, voice full of distaste.

"…Lui," Camus objected helplessly. He saw his long-haired cousin strode over to the pile of things which belonged to the girl. "What are you-…?"

Ludwig halted a foot away from her belongings. His eyes were good enough to see from that distance even in the dark.

"Erika Klause," he read from the owner's tag hanging from the schoolbag. "Heh."


	3. Second Impressions II

**A/N:** I find it amusing that at first I couldn't write Erika's parts unless I stare at an image of her in the manga, and I couldn't write Naoji's parts without looking at a screenshot of him from the anime. They're the two hardest characters for me to grasp.

On the other hand, Orphe is taking on more of the manga personification than I originally planned. His impression on me from the manga must be strong…

* * *

**The One**

**Chapter Three – "Second Impressions II"**

* * *

The downpour didn't clear up until the very early morning of next day. Needless to say, that meant she didn't get much studying done at all.

Given normal circumstances, she would never rose out of bed that early. However, she had been tossing and turning all night in worrying about her ribbon.

No, that wasn't the only thing she had been agitated about.

_I told him a lie! _Erika clutched her head worriedly. _And he was such a nice boy, too!_

But because the Strahl Candidate Ludwig was present at the time, and she didn't want the intimidating man to find out that it was her who had drawn an abstract sketch of him in her sketchbook – which coincidently landed on his head when it fell from the open hallway of third floor – she had to make up a name for herself on the spot.

"It's okay. It's okay. It's not like I have to meet them again…after today," she reassured herself, letting out a sigh of relief. She looked outside the window at the clearing sky.

* * *

"Kyaaaa!"

Naoji took a step back, unsure of what to do with himself in this situation. "Um…ah…s-sorry, did I frighten you?"

"N-n-n-no!" Erika denied quickly with flailing hands before hanging her head.

_It's a little too late to act cool, Erika._

"Eh…Naoji-sama, is it?" she tried a little – albeit nervous – smile in greeting. "But why were you right outside the door?" _of the girls' dormitory. This early in the morning._

He tilted his head apologetically as he returned her smile. "I was waiting to return these to you. They were important, weren't they?" He held out the books and the schoolbag she had just been meaning to go retrieve.

"Oh!" She reached to take her schoolbag into her arms first, feeling inside for what she was looking for. It was there, and she drew it out into the soft morning light to be sure.

Erika looked up at him, and from her happiness aroused a charming and heartfelt smile. "Thank you."

Naoji blinked.

"Ah!" Erika exclaimed suddenly. "Y-you didn't get up this early just to return these, did you!?" she demanded to know.

"…N-no, it's fine," Naoji replied, coming out of his slight daze. "I usually rise earlier than this."

"I-is that so?" A sudden wave of shyness flowed over her, and she lowered her eyes.

There was an awkward pause due to the lack of anything to say.

"…Well, I best be on my way now." The black-haired Strahl candidate inclined himself forward lightly as in a respectful bow. "I wish you luck on your exams."

"T-thank you… Ah, wait!" Erika called out impulsively.

Already some distance away, Naoji looked back at the sound of her voice.

_W-why did I call out to him like that!? What do I mean to say to him!?_

"I-…I will do my best!" she called out with a voice full of joyful confidence.

His long, black bangs flitted before his eyes as he appraised her for a long moment. Slowly, though, he nodded back at her. "…Hai."

* * *

"Look who came to school this early in the morning."

"Must be studying hard, eh?"

Erika knew she had better just ignore the snide remarks of those female classmates of hers. She had been expecting to be bullied after the stunt she pulled off on the first day here, after all.

_Sigh…I really did want some quiet study time before the others arrived, thoughhh-ah-ahhhh!_

She fell into a disheveled heap with her books and items.

"Oh my, how clumsy. Hohoho." They weren't even trying to be discreet about it, not that anyone else would be there this early to witness the scene.

_Grrr…she tripped me._

"Hey!" Erika cried out when one of the two girls picked up her schoolbag and flung it up.

'_Oh, no!' _she thought despairingly as her bag landed right onto the hanging flower pot on the hallway's ceiling.

"Oh dear, you better get it down before class starts."

They left her fuming silently as she picked herself up from the floor.

"Ah…there's no way I can reach that…!"

Just as she was pacing about in agitation a nearby sign caught her eye. It was the hallway mark indicating that the art studios were in that direction.

"I know!" Erika decided, "I'll look for a ladder. They should have one somewhere."

TAB

_Just…a bit…further…! _Her fingers strained to reach her target.

"…Excuse me-…"

Erika startled at the unexpected voice, causing her to lose her balance. "Kyaaa!"

But the expected impact with the hard surface of the floor wasn't forthcoming. She cracked open one eye to find that she had fallen into the cradling arms of a very handsome blue-eyed man.

"I'm sorry…I have spoken too suddenly and have startled you."

_Close. Too close. Too bright._

Erika heaved to one side and fell out of his hold, trying to catch her breath.

"I was only wondering what you were doing with the ladder from the art studio, forgive me," the man explained, rising up from his kneeling position.

"N-no-no!" Erika waved her hands in front of her frantically in denial. "I-I-I'm sorry for borrowing it without asking! I was only-…I was only-…" she stammered.

He was offering a hand out to her, in a very gentlemanly fashion with his upper body bowed. It distracted her from her train of thoughts.

That was right; she remembered him extending the very same gesture on the first day of class, during the orientation where she slipped and fell. But she had not accepted his help that time, and now he was offering his hand to her as if she hadn't made a screw-up after that.

His name was Orpherus, if she remembered correctly, and also a Strahl candidate.

As if mesmerized, Erika raised a hand and placed it in his. His white gloved fingers wrapped around her hand lightly and he pulled her up to a stand before him.

"…You were only…? What were you going to say after that…?" the platinum blonde man inquired with a lukewarm gaze.

"Eh? Ah, that's right!" she was suddenly reminded. Turning, she looked up at the hanging flower pot. "I need to get my bag down from there!"

"…Bag?" He, too, looked up. "…Why is in someplace like that?"

Erika's shoulders slumped in disgrace. "S-sorry. It was an accident…"

She didn't see what kind of expression he had on his face when he glanced at her. He was a lot taller than her, and she felt a bit too embarrassed to look up.

"…I understand. I will get it for you."

Erika lifted her chin in surprise. He didn't see however, for he was already going about the task.

"Ah, here it is." His slender fingers reached her schoolbag easily. Orpherus held it down towards her with a handsome, refined smile. "Be more careful when using ladders on your own," he told her.

She reached up and accepted it. For some reason her heart was beating quickly and the two sides of her face felt heated. "T-thank you very much!"

He dropped down from the ladder, white cape fluttering as he crossed one hand over his heart. "You are welcome."

She stepped back awkwardly, because he was so close. "I-…! I got to go now! Sorry!"

Bobbing a few curtseys, Erika quickly picked up the remainder of her things before dashing off. He stared after her, a bit bewildered, before he caught sight of something lying neglected on the floor.

"Erika Klause…" he read from the cover of the folder. "She forgot this…"

* * *

"…Is there a problem?"

"L-Ludwig-sama..." The students parted a path for him as they always did when he presented himself.

His eyes fixed on the blonde figure of the girl in midst of a heated argument with their swordplay supervisor.

"…Again, that female?"

"Yes," a follower of his nearby reported, "that girl seems to want to participate in the sword fighting exam."

Ludwig noted that Naoji, who was following next to him, was betrayed into a motion as if taken aback.

"Preposterous," Ludwig uttered in scorn. His eyes trailed over to the observers. "Why aren't any of you putting a stop to this?"

"Well…" came the uneasy reply as they all looked in the direction of the three Strahl candidates who stood close by the object of attention "…about that…those three are…"

He followed their gaze to the three males who had become part of the Strahl candidate class since the previous year.

"Hey, you," the shortest of the three with light magenta-colored hair addressed the blonde girl. "Are you making fun of us!?"

"Pfff." The black-haired Nicholas covered his mouth to prevent himself from laughing. "You're the one who told her to do this, Daniel."

"Maybe you should wait for Orpherus to return," soft-spoken Elmunt suggested.

"No!" Erika piped up, directing her argument at their supervisor. "By that time I will be disqualified from my exam for being late!"

"Oh jeez." Daniel ran a hand through his bushy, light magenta hair, shrugging nonchalantly. "That is your own problem though, isn't it?"

Erika bit her lip, drawing backwards a step and pointing a finger directly at Daniel. "I challenge you to a duel!" she declared, causing all those within hearing range to look absolutely aghast. That is, except Ludwig, but she wasn't able to notice that much. She was too busy snatching the sword out of the grasp of a dazed Elmunt. "Let me borrow this!"

"Hey! Stop joking around!" Daniel snapped in response. "There's no way I'm raising a sword against a girl!"

"Oh, she holds a sword like a complete newbie," Nicholas remarked, covering his eyes and shaking his head.

"Fuu…" Erika let out a breath from the corner of her mouth. The sword was so disproportionate to her height that it dragged on the ground and she had to toll it with both hands. "You're saying that if a female hitman comes after you, you're as good as dead?"

Her expression had changed from one of anxious desperation earlier to one of confident determination. Daniel had paused to stare at the change a moment too long and Elmunt spoke on his behalf.

"Miss, although you put it that way, Daniel is actually the most skilled out of us three at sword fighting. Why don't you try with me instead?" Elmunt suggested politely.

"R-really?" Erika asked in surprise. She looked back at the light magenta-haired youth. "But I thought he was the closest to my height-…so-…"

She shuddered at the sudden change in atmosphere. Both Nicholas and Elmunt covered their mouths with their hands behind Daniel's back. The mention of the shorter man's height was taboo.

"What did you say…?" It was a menacing growl. He readied his sword in his hand.

Erika gulped and forced out a strained smile. "Don't worry; I won't make you take responsibility even if you scratch me."

"Daniel!?" Elmunt and Nicholas exclaimed simultaneously as Daniel swung his sword in front of him.

"If you can last more than a minute, I'll count this as your win!" Daniel shouted, bringing his sword around towards her.

She countered his blow, much to his surprise, and balanced her sword perfectly against the power of his offense. Not only that, but her posture and countenance appeared changed as well.

Daniel gave a push to his blade, heaving himself back. He struck up, left, above, right – all of which were parried by her sword.

Back on the sidelines, Naoji appeared stunned as everyone else. In fact, he had been quite prepared to step in earlier, but that thought was forgotten when Erika had fallen into a proper sword-wielding stance right when Daniel started attacking. "She's-…"

She was no beginner.

"…However, she cannot change the fact that she is a female," Ludwig stated, not bothering to watch any longer.

Naoji stepped aside as Ludwig made his way to his own match. His dark amber eyes went back to the blonde girl still clashing swords with Daniel. Ludwig was right about that. She was still a girl, after all. Her strength was no match for her opponent's. He had been forcing her into a defensive and retreating stance from the start.

An ear-splitting _clang_ marked the end of their match. Erika's sword flew off spiraling above the ground. Some students had to leap out of its path.

"This match has ended!" the teacher acting as referee announced. The girl slumped forward, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Erika?" It was Orpherus who came up behind her, causing her to jolt up in alarm.

"Ah-!? Orpherus-sama!?" She was holding an arm up in front of her, as if warding off harm. "Y-you-you were-…!? I was-…!"

"I thought I asked you to wait for me to return…?" the platinum-blonde Strahl candidate questioned her with folded arms, bending a bit to one side in able to see her face better.

The girl who seemed to be named Erika hung her head in defeat. "Sorry…"

Orpherus let out a tiny sigh in resignation. He held out the folder he brought with him to her. "Here. This is what you came here for, isn't it?" He smiled as she nodded mutely, taking it from his hand. "Your sword skills are pretty good. Maybe you'd like to practice with me sometime."

A faint blush stole across her cheeks. She smiled happily behind the folder she held up before her mouth. "Th-thank you very much!" It was only then did she seem to realize that everyone had been staring at her the whole time.

The faint blush bloomed into a full flush. "T-then good afternoon! Please excuse me!" she said quickly before dashing off, when it was obviously morning hours still.

"Hey, what's wrong, Daniel?" Nicholas teased him. "It's not like you to lose your cool."

Daniel answered with a sharp glare of his purple eyes. "Shut up."


	4. First Tension

**A/N: **I should be studying for my finals…lol.

Anyway, if any reader wants to request more scenes for one specific character, leave me a review with the guy's name, or description if you don't remember it. I'm pretty flexible with this fanfic and I'm letting things develop freely. For example, I didn't even plan for Daniel to play such a big role.

* * *

**The One**

**Chapter 4 – "First Tension"**

* * *

Erika Klause, seventeen years of age, had always been home schooled up till then. It had been an agreement made with her parents that they will allow her to attend any academy of her choosing, given that she complied with their strict supervision over her education until she reached the age of seventeen.

She hadn't known that it was considered unusual for a girl of her station to know about sword fighting. Being the only child of her current family, the father only had her to share some of his interests with.

And by the courtesy of the students' rumor network in place at Rosenstolz Academy, Erika had something to blame if she managed to fail her first exam.

_Couldn't…even…focus…argh!_

"Ehhh?"

Erika looked up from her sulking at the sound of a tinkling voice hovering over her.

"So you're the one named Erika?" the short and flamboyantly dressed girl standing next to her desk asked in a drawling and naturally loud voice.

"Um…yes?" Erika answered unsurely.

She had never seen hair that shade of pink, a deep magenta color in a mass of heavy, flawless ringlets parted to both sides of the girl's head. Ribbons in a lighter shade of pink adorned everything a ribbon could be considered suitable adorning on her body. Her cheeks were rosy, and her pink lips set in a natural pout. Her large, brown eyes displayed a mixture of curiosity and haughtiness as she stared down.

"It's Marin…" Erika heard a fellow female classmate whisper to another.

"Marin spoke to her."

"Poor girl."

_H-…Huh!? _

"Oh my, what pretty nails! Where do you get them done?" the girl, who Erika presumed must be 'Marin', gushed as she leaned over her outstretched hands on the desk.

"Um…I-…" Erika was about to explain that she did her own nails, but that plan was stopped short when Marin picked up one of her hands and licked the nails of her index and middle finger.

_KYAAAH! _

That caused all the hairs on the back of her neck to stand upright in shock. She was still frozen when the sympathetic whispers behind her back were exchanged.

"Marin, huh? She's doomed." "Now she's done for."

Those whisperings were the least of her worries. The girl, Marin, glanced down at her with an unusually cruel expression on a teenage lady's face.

"You should quit this school, if you know what's good for you," the deep magenta haired girl told her forebodingly. Erika felt chills crawling up her spine.

"S-s-sorry?" Erika hoped she had heard wrong.

"I _said,_" Marin repeated exasperatedly, a sinister fake smile plastered on her face, "that you have no right to attend this academy."

With a graceful, lady-like twirl of her skirt, the pink-haired girl spun around and exited the classroom.

It's strange, the way her words stung more than the others'. Maybe it was due to the fact that she was the only one who said something to her face, while the others only talked behind her back.

Tears were beginning to prickle at the corner of her eyes.

_I-…I can't stand this!_

"Where are you going? Hey-! Break is over!" her classroom teacher called after her as she grabbed her bag and ran.

"Whoa-!" Ed exclaimed when she collided into him in the hallway. "Hey-!" She didn't take notice or even remember to stop and apologize. He stared after her in concern as she ran off in the opposite direction.

"Wasn't that-…?"

* * *

"Here, use this."

The person who held out the handkerchief to her was the red-eyed and snowy-haired Strahl candidate Camus.

Erika stared up at him with wide eyes. She didn't think any student will come by where she was hiding inside the garden during class hours.

"I'm sorry," Camus offered his sincere apology upon noticing her surprise. "You wanted to be left alone?"

His brow was knitted with worry, and he remained in his half-crouching position, still holding out his handkerchief in one hand.

"N-no…I…" Erika reached out and accepted his kind offer. It strangely reminded her of a reverse situation of how it had been the previous evening. The boy seemed to think so, too, for he smiled and sat down on the pavement next to her.

"I will stay with you, if you don't mind."

"H-huh?" Erika flustered. "But Camus-sama, you shouldn't be missing class!" Uh huh, like she was one to talk.

"It's alright," the gentle-voiced boy assured her. "The Strahl candidate class schedules are different. Besides…" He looked over at her with smiling eyes. "I've been told that a kind-hearted girl was in need of some company."

It took her a long time to make sense of what he was saying, but the smile never faded from Camus' lips.

"Eh you mean…me?" Suddenly horrified, Erika bolted up. "Whaaaat!? I've been seen!? Who is it!?" she demanded to know in panic. Yes, rather than taking – or even registering – a compliment, she was better at being disturbed by the little things.

"Um…ah…" Camus thought about trying to calm the girl, but seeing that she was pacing in agitated circles while talking to herself, he felt that it might be too much for him to handle.

"Yo," Ed's voice ran out. "There you are, Erika!"

_Eh…_

Erika turned to see the caramel-skinned Strahl candidate waving an arm at her from over the hedges.

_Ed-sama? Looking for me__？_

"Ah, your name is Erika?" Camus asked in his pleasant voice.

She remembered what a horrid lie she had told him.

"I'm-…I'M SOOOORRY!"

Her dramatic reaction caused him to rise up anxiously. "Er… It-it's alright; you don't have to grovel…"

"Oh? Camus, you're here, too?" Ed observed as he slowed from his jog. "Mind if I borrow Erika for a while?"

"No," Camus assured him, shaking his head. "Go ahead."

"Come on, it's good to take breaks from studying," Ed declared, despite the fact that she wasn't studying at the moment. He grabbed hold of her arm and led her away.

"Huh? Wait! Ed-sama-!"

* * *

_S-somebody, save me!_

"Erm… This may be a bit late, but…" Ed ran a hand through his long, spiky auburn hair. "Is this your first time on a horse?"

"Of-of course not!" Erika denied fervently, finally having garnered enough courage to lift her body upright in the saddle. "What gave you _that _idea?"

"…" Ed covered his mouth with one hand and tried to stifle a laugh. "Oh, I don't know. Just a guess?"

Erika followed the direction of his gaze and realized that she had mounted facing the wrong way!

"Ah!"

"Whoa! Whoa!" the tall, green-eyed Strahl candidate soothed the beast as it protested the girl's sudden movements as she tried to set herself in the right position.

"Here, maybe you should ride sidesaddle after all." With one smooth motion, Ed heaved himself onto the saddle behind her, adjusting his hands on the reign so that his arms were encircling her.

"How's that? Any better?" he asked playfully.

"Um t-that-that's fine," Erika said hurriedly. However, she couldn't hide her distress once the horse started moving, ending up clinging desperately to the rolled-up sleeve of his navy blue uniform. "Ahhh…."

"Oh?" Ed piped up at once. "Don't tell me…you're actually afraid of horses?"

Erika shook her head fiercely from side to side, but that didn't seem to fool Ed.

"Ahahaha!" He laughed heartily, pulling on the reigns. "Shall I show you how fast this one runs?"

"KYAAA!"

* * *

Ludwig let his book shut with an unhappy '_thud'. _

The majority of the other studying students present in the same reading room have been sneaking nervous glances over at his high seat next to one of the long, arched windows. They have been anticipating his reaction for quite some time.

"…What is that _infernal_ racket?" the purple-eyed 'demon king', as he was nicknamed by a few fellow students, demanded to know, although it was unlikely that he expected a response.

"Naoji," he addressed the raven-haired Strahl candidate standing behind him with the usual drawl on the pronunciation of his Japanese name. "Is there something outside which draws your interest?" Ludwig asked without even sparing a look back.

"Ah…no…" Naoji withdrew his hand with a soft smiling sigh, and let the heavy dark curtain fall back into place.

It seemed like Erika and Ed were enjoying themselves.

"Hey, check it out, Daniel!" Nicholas motioned for the light magenta-haired man to come to him over at the next window. "Isn't that the girl who bested you in swordplay?" the guy asked, grinning.

"My, my…don't tease him," Elmunt advised, also approaching his side. "But, she really is something, being able to last out on you for longer than a minute," Elmunt couldn't help adding in, himself.

"Why…you…!" Daniel couldn't see why his friends found it so amusing. The two were exchanging smirks before his eyes again. Whatever it was, he had better not play into their hands.

"I'm going to get some air," Daniel told them, his purple eyes stern. "Don't follow me."

"Oh dear," Elmunt commented as the door to the reading room shut tightly behind Daniel. He couldn't, however, suppress a chuckle when he saw that Nicholas was snickering.

Their proud and calculating companion might just be starting to behave like a boy his age should be.

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright now?" Ed asked her again, just to be sure.

"Y-ye-yes, Ed-sama," Erika reassured him, still trying to find her bearing. Her head was still spinning from the ride. "Please don't worry about me! I should get back to class or else-…" She suddenly remembered her manners.

"I-! I am very grateful to Ed-sama for cheering me up!" Erika told him quickly with a low bow. "Thank you very much!"

"Oh? It was a pleasure!" Ed called back, waving one hand as he led his horse away. "We'll do it again sometime!"

That promise somewhat diminished the happy feeling for her, but still…

_Ed-sama is so kind…_

Her peaceful thoughts were interrupted by sudden, scornful words.

"Skipping class to hit on a Strahl candidate? So you're one of _those._"

Erika spun around to face him. He was leaning with arms folded against one white marble column, and it looked like he had been there for some time.

"Ah-you are-…! You are-…er…" It was the light, bushy magenta haired boy with the serious purple eyes from that morning. However, she racked through her memory and failed to grasp onto a name. "Um…"

To make it worse, he didn't seem too happy that she couldn't remember.

"S-sorry…" Erika apologized meekly.

"Why are you pretending to be meek all of a sudden?" Daniel frowned distrustfully. "You can't pass as a lady even if you act like that. Seriously, the way you held the sword was not even elegant-"

"I'm afraid I disagree, Daniel."

Erika startled at the sight of aquamarine blue eyes and platinum blonde hair.

"I think the sword radiates the strength of the heart, regardless of how you hold it."

His words, or his voice, or even his entire presence, emitted a tranquil, divine aura. His lukewarm gaze seemed to be absorbing her into its blue depths.

"Here's what Camus wanted to pass on to you," the Strahl candidate Orpherus informed her, presenting the schoolbag she had left behind when Ed had dragged her away from the garden earlier.

"And he told me to say," the handsome blonde youth continued, "that 'Erika' is a name which suits you better."

Erika felt two streaks of heat rise across her cheeks. That seemed to be a common occurrence whenever Orpherus was close to her. "S-sorry…" she said, bowing her head and letting her thick blonde hair cover both sides of her face.

"What are you apologizing for?" Orpherus asked curiously, and to her dismay, had lowered himself to her eye-level while at it.

"I-I mean-! Thank you very much!"

_I'm so…embarrassed…always relying on others like this…_

"Excuse me!" she said bluntly, darting off into the building.

…

"Oh my," Elmunt said, having witnessed the scene from the open hallway of second floor. "What a mess."

"Who would have thought that even Daniel has his weak points," Nicholas agreed from beside him. "Well, let's head back before he finds out that we followed him."

The two men exchanged a smirk as they left the side of the railing.

"Should we lend him a hand?"


End file.
